Device for connecting and supporting chair frame portions



y 4, 1963 A. MAUS ER 3,089,730

DEVICE FOR CONNECTING AND SUPPORTING CHAIR FRAME PORTIONS Original Filed Nov. 22, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR.

AL FDA/J nmujzg BY 2 Q64 and $44,

May 14, 1963 A. MAUSER 3,089,730

DEVICE FOR CONNECTING AND SUPPORTING CHAIR FRAME PORTIONS Original Filed Nov. 22, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. Al. FJNJ MAI/55R States ate 3,089,730 DEVICE FOR CONNECTING AND SUPPORTING CHAIR FRAME PORTIONS Alfons Mauser, Cologne-Ehrenfeld, Germany, assignor to Mauser Kommandit-Gesellschaft, Cologne-Ehrenfeld, Germany Original application Nov. 22, 1957, Ser. No. 698,310, now Patent No. 2,975,827, dated Mar. '21, 1961. Divided and this application Dec. 12, 1960, Ser. No. 75,145 Claims priority, application Germany May 25, 1957 4 Claims. (Cl. 297-463) The present invention relates to devices for connecting and supporting chair frame portions.

This application is a divisional application of application Serial No. 698,310, filed November 22, 1957 and now Patent No. 2,975,827, granted March 21, 1961.

When constructing chair frames, especially those made of steel or other suitable metal, the basic shape of the chair is determined chiefly by the particular manner in which the individual parts of the chair frames are joined together.

Prior to the present invention it was considered an absolute requirement that two or more parts had to be formed from a continuously bent or combined shaped strip, which for example formed the seat and *back frames, with a base support frame attached thereto, or the shaped strip formed the seat and support frames and the back frame was secured thereto. Wherever the shape of the finished chair varied, special finishing steps were necessary and this considerably increased the production cost of the chair frames therefor. This is especially true of the numerous points which had to be joined together by welding, soldering, or the like.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide means obviating the disadvantages of the prior art by the provision of means operable to unite or combine all portions of the chair frame.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of means conducive to a very efiicacious chair frame construction wherein the outer shaping of the chair is not dependent upon the frame thereof so that complete freedom is provided to the designer and manufacturer.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide means necessitating only a single base frame device which can be utilized in the assembly of many difierently shaped chair models and like furniture.

A further object of the present invention is to provide means contributing to a frame structure of the aforesaid type which permits the use of one, two, three or four supporting legs for the chair, as desired.

A further object of the present invention is to provide means ensuring an improved chair frame structure which readily and variedly permits the assembly and joining of the individual parts of which the chair may consist, under a protective covering, so that no additional attaching or securing means are required in most cases, so that any Welding or soldering connections which greatly add to the expense of the chair, can be obviated.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide means avoiding the need for any special surface treatment of the chair frame parts as the same will be covered by the seat and back of the chair and remain completely hidden from view.

Other, further and additional advantages of the present invention will be readily apparent from a reading of the following specification and claims taken in connection with the appended drawings which illustrates some of the best modes presently contemplated of carrying out the invention.

In the drawings:

FIGS. 1 and 2 are perspective views of chairs, each embodying a different mode of the invention;

FIGS. 3 and 4 each illustrate a modification of the embodiment shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of a portion of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of a portion of the embodiment shown in FIG. 2.

Pursuant to the underlying concept of the present invention, the rear legs 4a4a engage the outer points of contact or assembly of the seat 2 and back 3, said points of assembly constituting the center of distributing support means 1a--1a of which device 1 is composed for joining and supporting or combining the seat 2, the back 3 and the underframe 4 of the chair 50a, which as shown, is provided only with a rear leg frame 4 and is devoid of front legs.

Each distributor or support 1a is provided with the angularly related projections or fingers 5 and 7 which extend in opposite relation from the device 1, fingers 9 depending from locations intermediate fingers 5 and 7. The fingers 5, which extend angularly upwardly and rearwardly from the associated support means 1a mount the back 3 by being received in hollow reinforcement pieces or ribs 6-6 connected to or provided in the back 3.

The forwardly extending fingers 7 mount the seat 2 by being received in hollow support elements 8 provided on the seat. The supports 1a may be formed of either solid or hollow stock, suitable for the purposes thereof; the depending fingers 9 serve to connect the supports to the base frame 4. The legs 4a-4a may be tubular so that the associated fingers 9 can be received therein and hidden from view, or said fingers may be hollow and receive the associated chair legs therein.

If the seat 2 and back 3 are relatively rigid, the supports 1a may be laterally spaced from each other and maintained in separate relation, laterally of the chair, at the contact points of the seat and the back. However, it is preferable that they be interconnected by a brace or strut 10 which will securely retain them inlaterally spaced relation. The brace 10 may be hidden from view by either the seat 2, as shown, or by the back 3. Consequently, the chair support and interconnecting device 1, as here shown, comprises the laterally spaced three fingers or connectors, distributor or support elements lala interconnected by a' single yoke 10, so as to provide stability to the frame of the chair and make it possible in a simple and convenient manner to join together the seat, the back and the underframe of the chair.

Referring now to FIG. 1 in detail, there is shown a chair 50b according to another embodiment of the invention. Pursuant to the present invention there is shown a chair support and interconnecting device 51 which is in the form of a closed frame which extends into two planes. Said frame comprises a lower substantially horizontally extending U-shaped frame portion 21, which extends below the chair seat 22 to mount the latter, and an upwardly extending U-shaped frame portion 23 which extends behind and mounts the chair back 24.

The U-shaped frame portions or sections meet, or are joined together at the laterally spaced points Ski-5 1a. The width of frame 51, at least at said points 51a, is equal to the distance between the points of contact of the outer boarding frames (not illustrated) of the seat 22 and back 24.

The depending fingers 9b are provided at said lateral points 51a for engagement with the legs 4a, respectively, of the base frame 4 as previously explained. The frame portion 21, which extends in the seat 22, is provided with apertures 25, for mounting further fingers 9b to accommodate base support frames having three or four legs, respectively, as will be readily apparent, and as hereinafter described in connection with FIGS. 1 and 2.

Referring now to FIG. 2 in detail, there is disclosed 3 another embodiment of the invention. As shown, provision ismade for a chair 50c having a connecting and supporting frame 26 which is not completely closed, as in the case of frame 51 in FI G. 1.

Frame 26 has a U-shaped frame portion 29 which extends horizontally for mounting the seat 31. The chair back 27 is mounted by a pair of laterally spaced spars or arms 28-28 which are integral with and bent up from the horizontal frame portion 29 to form therewith the frame 26 which is open at its upper end. The arms 28 serve as supports in which the back 27 is mounted and secured. The cross-brace or strut 30, of arcuate configuration, as shown, imparts to the entire construction a considerable stabilizing or rigidifying effect and may be interconnected between the bends 28a and between the arms 28 and the frame portion 29.

The strut 30 constitutes the rear peripheral boundary of the seat 31 or the lower peripheral boundary of the back 27. A pair of rear fingers 9c depend from the bends 28a, respectively, and a pair of front fingers 9c are secured in the laterally related front apertures 25 so that the chair 50c can accommodate four legs 32, as is well understood.

The basic arrangement of FIG. 2 can also be used to provide a three legged chair, as shown in FIG. 3. As seen, an additional aperture 25 is provided centrally of the strut 30 to accommodate a single rear leg 32, the forward pair of legs 32 being provided thereon, as in FIG. 2.

The same basic arrangement provided in FIGS. 2 and 3 can be utilized to provide a three legged chair, as shown in FIG. 4. In this connection, it will be noted that an additional securing aperture 25 is provided at the front of the frame portion 29 for a depending leg accommodating finger 96. Consequently, a single front leg 32 can be mounted by the frame 26, at the front thereof, and two rear legs can be provided at the bends 28a, respectively, to provide the three legged chair shown in FIG. 4.

The connecting and supporting frames 51 and 26 of FIGS. 3 and 4, respectively, may initially be provided with the connecting members 33, shown in FIG. 4. Said .members may be invisibly connected to the respective frames or they may be loosely slipped thereon, depending on the particular requirements arising from the manner in which the back 27 is to be constructed. Said members 33 provide connections or supports to which the arm rest (not illustrated) may be attached.

The previously mentioned apertures 25 for the fingers 9, 9a, 9b, 9c are prefrably threaded bores provided in the connecting and supporting frame. As best shown in 'FIG. 5, the depending finger 9 may be in the form of a hollow or tubular element threaded into a threaded aperture 25 and said element is inserted into the upper end of a hollow chair leg 32. In the modification shown in FIG. 6, a chair leg 34, which can either be solid or tubular, is inserted into a hollow leg attaching element 9.

The connecting and supporting device of the present invention may be formed of any suitable material and may be mass produced of cast silurnin. Further, the connecting and supporting device of the present invention allows for the mass-production of all the individual parts of the seat frames which have to be joined together. It is possible, irrespective of the shape of the finished chair, to used the same securing and connecting device in such ,a manner that, after the seat, back and base portions have been secured thereto in the simple manner, previously described, the final securement of the various parts can be accomplished Without any subsequent surface treatment of the chair.

The present invention is not limited to use with chair frames formed of steel or metal but can also be utilized for chair frames formed of other material, such as, for example, wood.

Various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention and it is intended that such obivous changes and modifications be embraced by the annexed claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent, is:

1. A chair structure adapted to be supported on a floor on a stand, comprising first and second laterally spaced supports, each including a forwardly extending finger for securing said support to a seat, a rearwardly extending finger for securing said support to a back frame, and a downwardly extending finger for securing said support to said floor stand, and at least one brace element interconnecting said supports, a seat portion having an end wall with two spaced bores defined therein extending in wardly therefrom at laterally spaced locations in alignment with said forwardly extending finger portions of said supports, said seat portion being inserted over said finger portions.

2. A chair structure according to claim 1, wherein said brace element interconnects said support adjacent the juncture of said rearwardly and said forwardly extending portions.

3. A chair structure according to claim 1, including a back element spanning said spaced supports and secured 1 torsaid rearwardly extending finger portion.

4. A chair structure according to claim 1, wherein said downwardly extending finger portions include a tubular element adapted to be telescopically fitted into a supporting stand.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,542,931 Lightfoot Feb. 20, 1951 2,694,438 Frech Nov. 16, 1954 2,975,827 Mauser Mar. 21, 1961 FOREIGN PATENTS 784,431 France Apr. 29, 1935 

1. A CHAIR STRUCTURE ADAPTED TO BE SUPPORTED ON A FLOOR ON A STAND, COMPRISING FIRST AND SECOND LATERALLY SPACED SUPPORTS, EACH INCLUDING A FORWARDLY EXTENDING FINGER FOR SECURING SAID SUPPORT TO A SEAT, A REARWARDLY EXTENDING FINGER FOR SECURING SAID SUPPORT TO A BACK FRAME, AND A DOWNWARDLY EXTENDING FINGER FOR SECURING SAID SUPPORT TO SAID FLOOR STAND, AND AT LEAST ONE BRACE ELEMENT INTERCONNECTING SAID SUPPORTS, A SEAT PORTION HAVING AN END WALL WITH TWO SPACED BORES DEFINED THEREIN EXTENDING INWARDLY THEREFROM AT LATERALLY SPACED LOCATIONS IN ALIGNMENT WITH SAID FORWARDLY EXTENDING FINGER PORTIONS OF SAID SUPPORTS, SAID SEAT PORTION BEING INSERTED OVER SAID FINGER PORTIONS. 